NEWS of a potential 600-acre distribution park in Severn Beach has increased calls for a new motorway junction in the region.

Landowners Severnside Distribution Land Ltd (SDLL), in partnership with Goodman Logistics UK, announced plans last week for what is being called the South West’s largest distribution centre.

Central Park, as it will be known, will begin with an initial phase of 85 acres but could grow to up to 600 acres.

This site is an additional development to the existing Portal West Distribution Park and the Western Approach complex, which include companies such as Tesco, Warburtons and Royal Mail.

The land for the new park is governed by a controversial 50-year-old planning consent, which means the development is exempt from the usual planning process.

Jason Dalby, managing director of Goodman Logistics UK, said: "Central Park, Severnside, represents a major development opportunity and we look forward to partnering SDLL on this exciting joint venture. "With such a strategically important site in terms of location, scale and deliverability, it offers significant benefits for potential occupiers, and we will use our market insight and local knowledge to attract them to this prime location."

However, despite claims that the site will benefit from existing infrastructure, locals are saying villages and roads will be swamped by traffic.

Cllr Peter Tyzack, South Gloucestershire councillor for Severn Beach and Pilning, said: "The big concern for us is traffic. We know that much of the land is covered by the old planning permission, but what we are calling on the government for is a new motorway junction on the M49.

"It is just going to throttle the area with heavy good vehicles and going to destroy the solitary rural life the people of Severn Beach and Pilning enjoy.

"The A403 that takes vehicles to the old Severn bridge was built for that purpose but those behind it never imagined this volume of traffic."

Leaders at South Gloucestershire Council have also thrown their support behind the campaign for a new junction with the application for an Accelerated Development Zone.

Cllr Sheila Cook, deputy leader at the authority and councillor for nearby Almondsbury, said: "The concept is that we would be allowed to keep any growth in business rates within the zone in order to help fund new transport infrastructure.

"When you consider that various landowners essentially have a free rein to expand, it makes sense for us to explore ways of retaining the almost certain further growth in business rates in order to help fund a new M49 junction."